Vintage Tablecloths and Tables!

I've mentioned before that I am a collector!

Here is a collection that I started several years ago; vintage tablecloths and hand towels.  Fortunately, I started collecting when you could still find these at garage sales and auctions very reasonably priced.

Not all of my tablecloths are perfect, but I don't mind, I use them like they were intended and, then, throw them in the washer.......only wish I had an iron to throw them into, lol!  Actually, ironing is likely the reason tablecloths, for everyday use, fell out of favor.

Yes, in the 30s, 40s, 50s the kitchen table was always covered with a cloth, or sometimes, an oilcloth cover.  Placemats became popular in the 1950s along with Mr.. Birdseye's frozen dinners and T.V. 

Here are a few tablecloths from my collection........

and a few hand towels.................

  I love the cheerful colors and designs on all of these linens but I, also, love the beauty of white linens.......

my photography skills don't do proper justice to these gorgeous white on white hand embroidered towels.

 

Moving on to tables....here is a sweet gift, I received recently from a special friend...the little red

table on top of our red and white enamel top table.  This little table, must have originally been a child's toy, it is so darn cute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think the little table would be charming used to hold condiments on a picnic table or, it may come into its own at Christmas, mixed with my collection of snowmen!

  

For sentimental reasons, I am ending with a special linen piece that was made by my grandmother.  This is an example of Hardanger, or Norwegian drawn work or needlework.  The "holes" are made by gathering the fabric threads together and embroidering around them to hold them in place, very delicate.

Call me sentimental but, to me, linens speak loudly of their previous owners....some of them were lovingly created by someone's hand, many were used to dry  hands or the dishes, that where then, set on a tablecloth where the family gathered for a meal.

The colorful linens were meant to make a woman's work a little cheerier and easier because a woman's "place" was in the kitchen......I'm pretty sure, not even Ward Cleaver dried dishes!

Thanks for stopping by and joining me at the following blogs:

Blue Monday @ Smiling Sally

Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

White Wednesday @ Faked Charm Cottage

Rednesday @ Sue Loves Cherries

Metamorphasis Monday

Followers and comments always appreciated!